Battle of Arelate (256 BC)

The battle of Arelate occurred in 256 BC when a Roman legion of 549 troops under Vibius Julius attacked a Gallic warband of 297 warriors under Virssuccius. The Romans engaged the Gauls in battle and slaughtered them in a bloody battle that led to the Romans pushing the Gauls beyond the Rhone River.

Battle
Following the Roman capture of Massilia in 258 BC, Vibius Julius decided to lead his legion of 549 troops out of the city and to attack the Gallic armies that threatened the city. Nearly a half of his army consisted of local mercenaries, having six cohorts of barbarian spearmen and one cohort of barbarian cavalry. The Romans had more troops, allowing for their cohorts to flank individual Gallic units and attack them from multiple sides. Unable to fight a larger foe, the barbarians were massacred, and the Romans won a great victory over the Gauls. Virssuccius was slain during the battle, and the Romans conquered southern Gaul up to the Rhodanus River (now known as the upper Rhone River).